Daily postings
from the Keystone State Education Coalition now reach more than 1500
Pennsylvania education policymakers – school directors, administrators,
legislators, members of the press and a broad array of education advocacy
organizations via emails, website, Facebook and Twitter.
These daily
emails are archived at http://keystonestateeducationcoalition.org
Follow us
on Twitter at @lfeinberg
…..citing
Reuters on LA voucher program: “The school
willing to accept the most voucher students — 314 — is New Living Word in Ruston
”The Upperroom
Bible Church Academy in New Orleans, a bunker-like building with no windows or
playground, also has plenty of slots open. It seeks to bring in 214 voucher
students, worth up to $1.8 million in state funding.
At Eternity Christian
Academy in Westlake
”We try to stay
away from all those things that might confuse our children,” Carrier said.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 2012
Corbett not destroying Pennsylvania schools fast enough for the
Koch brothers and FreedomWorks
You may have been
under the impression that Tom Corbett was working around the clock to destroy
public education in Pennsylvania
But FreedomWorks, the
Tea Party-flavored group that has been heavily funded by the same Koch brothers
who just paid millions to keep their pal Scott Walker as Wisconsin
governor, thinks he could be doing so much more:
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 2012
Voucher advocates target Corbett in TV ads
A conservative
political action committee, which has launched negative ad campaigns against
lawmakers who don't support school tuition vouchers - is now calling out their
most powerful ally for not doing enough to advance their isssue.
The PAC FreedomWorks
says it is launching a radio ad campaign aimed at putting the heat on Gov.
Corbett to approve a voucher bill this month, according to PoliticsPA, a
political news website.
Morning Call Capitol
Ideas Blog by John Micek
Tea-Time Budget Update: Republicans, Corbett Continue Budget
Talks.
Senior legislative
Republicans and Corbett administration officials concluded a second consecutive
day of budget negotations this
afternoon, saying, as they did the day before, that they're still working and
that their talks are continuing.
Budget: Plan to boost Pa.
Pocono Record By Associated Press June 06, 2012
Posted: Wed, Jun. 6, 2012 , 3:00 AM
With budget talks looming, GOP leaders want Corbett to budge
By Angela Couloumbis INQUIRER
STAFF WRITER
Details of top GOP lawmakers' budget plan emerge
By Laura Olson / Post-Gazette Harrisburg June 6, 2012 12:14 am
GOP leaders, who control
the House and Senate, have been working on a joint plan since senators approved
a $27.65 billion budget in May. The new proposal has not been released,
although details that began circulating indicated it includes funding
restorations similar to those in the Senate plan.
Those are reported to
include higher education funding nearly equal to this year's and $100 million
in block grants for full-day kindergarten. Another $26 million would be
available for distressed school districts, according to House sources.
Is your State Rep. on the cosponsor list for HB 2364? Charter
school funding, accountability and transparency
The bill is now posted
on the General Assembly’s website:
Here’s more info on HB
2364 from PSBA:
HB 2364: Push is on to fix charter school
funding
House members propose bill, while
the Corbett administration wants commission to study the issue.
By Patrick Lester, Of The Morning Call 11:25 p.m. EDT, June 4, 2012
The acrimonious tug of war over tax dollars used to fund charter and
virtual charter schools in Pennsylvania
Public school officials, who have long clamored about the high cost of
funding and lack of oversight of schools responsible for teaching more than
100,000 Pennsylvania students, joined state
representatives in Harrisburg
The proposal, backed by several state education groups, including the
Pennsylvania School Boards Association and the Pennsylvania State Education
Association, will rival a charter school-backed bill that calls for a state
commission to study the funding issue, something the state Department of
Education supports.
The issue could come to a head over the next three weeks as lawmakers try
to hammer out a 2012-13 budget.
Published on Jun 5, 2012 by PSBAvideo
Check out Monday's HB 2364 charter school
press conference video.
State Representative Mike Fleck Introduces Charter and Cyber Charter
School
Others speaking include Richard Fry, superintendent, Big Spring SD,
representing the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators (PASA);
James Estep, superintendent, Mifflin Co. SD, representing the Pennsylvania
Association of Rural and Small Schools (PARSS); Tom Gentzel, executive director
of the Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA); Tim Shrom, business
manager, Solanco SD and Laura Cowburn, assistant superintendent for business
services, Columbia Borough SD, both representing the Pennsylvania Association
of School Business Officials (PASBO).
PA House
Education Committee Minority Chairman Roebuck welcomes HB 2364 charter/cyber
school reform bill, lays out principles for immediate savings
Press Release HARRISBURG, June 4 – State Rep. James Roebuck, D-Phila.,
Democratic chairman of the House Education Committee, welcomed the introduction
of a new charter and cyber charter school reform bill, while also laying out
four principles Roebuck believes must be in any bill to reform those schools.
"At
a time when public schools are still coping with last year's state education
funding cuts and local property taxpayers want to avoid another round of
trickle-down tax hikes, it's only fair to taxpayers for all schools play by the
same rules," Roebuck said.
"These
reforms should be in effect starting with the 2012-13 school year. We can
provide this relief immediately to school districts and their taxpayers. These
reforms would provide at least $45.8 million in savings for the coming school
year, and probably much more than that."
Roebuck
said the new bill, introduced by Rep. Mike Fleck, R-Huntingdon/Blair/Mifflin,
is a good start.
Tax Dollars Pay for Cyber
Charter School
Canon-McMillan Patch
By Zandy Dudiak June 6, 5:59 am
As the state House
considers HB 2364, a proposed Charter and Cyber Charter School Reform Bill,
Canon-McMillan officials question whether public tax dollars should be used to
support these schools.
Joe Zupancic wonders
why taxpayers aren't outraged when they view billboards along the highways,
newspaper ads or television commercials—or hear radio spots—for Pennsylvania Cyber Charter
School
It's their tax monies
paying for those ads to recruit students away from Canon-McMillan and other
public school districts, the C-M school board director said in an interview
with Patch.
"As a school
board member, if I voted to pay $2,000 a month (for an advertisement) to get
students to come back to Canon-McMillan, my taxpayers would roast me over an
open fire. It outrages me because those are the same tax dollars that should go
to the education of our (C-M) kids."
Published: Thursday, June 07, 2012
Delco Times By VINCE SULLIVAN vsullivan@delcotimes.com
@vincesullivan
Gathered near the east entrance to the colossal seat of
For four hours, many took a turn at the podium to explain their positions, led by Rachel Ruitberg of the Save Upper Darby Arts movement. “It’s not just an
Harrisburg School
District could drop kindergarten, sports to save money
Published:
Wednesday, June
06, 2012 , 4:30 PM
The Harrisburg School Board approved a $125 million preliminary budget for 2012-13 this afternoon that includes devastating cuts and a tax hike.
The proposed spending
plan includes a $6.6 million budget deficit; cuts kindergarten, athletics,
band, teachers and administrators; and tacks on a 2.5 percent tax increase.
The school board plans
to vote on a final budget on June 27.
Posted: Wed, Jun. 6, 2012 , 6:11 PM
Suit: Philly school-closing policy an attempt to "dismantle
traditional public schools"
By Kristen A. Graham INQUIRER
STAFF WRITER
A group of city
parents whose children's North Philadelphia
public school is scheduled to shut for good next week have filed a federal
lawsuit to try to stop the closing.
The lawsuit, recently
filed by several Harrison
Elementary School Harrison parents.
The suit blasts what
it calls a strategy of "flooding the area of North Central Philadelphia
with charter schools."
No More Teachers, No
More Books
Yinzercation Blog — JUNE 6, 2012
Next week is going to
be a sad one for Pittsburgh
Public School Pennsylvania
While most kids are
excited about summer vacation, this year students all across the state will be
saying goodbye to thousands of beloved teachers. That comes on top of over
14,000 educators who lost their jobs in the commonwealth last year. [PASA & PASBO
Sept. 2011 report] The old school-yard rhyme, “no more pencils, no
more books, no more teacher’s dirty looks,” could be shortened to simply, “no
more teachers, no more books.”
Education Voters PA @EdVotersPA
Please take 2 minutes to send an email to
your state reps, ask them to restore public ed funding:
“They
are in crisis because they serve poor communities, have little local tax base
and rely heavily on state funding. They are struggling to provide an education
for their students because their state funding was cut even more deeply than
their suburban neighbors.”
'Distressed' schools
need help, not blame
Published:
Wednesday, June
06, 2012 , 5:00 AM
Michael Crossey is a teacher in the Keystone
Oaks School
District and president of the Pennsylvania State
It’s one thing for Gov. Tom Corbett to turn his back on school districts in “financial distress.” It’s another thing entirely for the governor to blame these school districts for the crisis he caused. But that’s what Gov. Corbett and some of his legislative allies are trying to do.
It’s one thing for Gov. Tom Corbett to turn his back on school districts in “financial distress.” It’s another thing entirely for the governor to blame these school districts for the crisis he caused. But that’s what Gov. Corbett and some of his legislative allies are trying to do.
The state Senate could consider House Bill 1307
any day. It would put Corbett appointees in charge of four school districts —
Chester-Upland, Duquesne City , York City and Harrisburg
H.B. 1307’s proponents
say that these school districts are at fault for the financial distress they
are experiencing. That is ludicrous. These school districts are in “financial
distress” because Gov. Corbett cut nearly $1 billion in public school funding.
Senator Jeff Piccola:
Status quo doesn't work in education
Published:
Wednesday, June
06, 2012 , 5:10 AM
The May 30 Patriot-News editorial
page prompted me to
write this op- ed. No educational system is perfect. But the current system we
have — particularly for those school districts in dire financial straits — is
not sustainable.
Taxpayer costs are too great and student
achievement is too low to continue down this path. Instead of clamoring to
throw more money at it, it is time to get responsible, creative and embrace new
ideas, including school choice and charter schools. Protecting the status quo
does nothing for the kids and families trapped in failing schools.
Diane Ravitch on PBS Newshour June 5th,
2012
STATEWIDE PRESS COVERAGE OF SCHOOL DISTRICT
BUDGETS
Here are more than 700 articles since
January 23rd detailing budget cuts, program cuts, staffing cuts and
tax increases being discussed by local school districts
The PA House Democratic Caucus has been tracking daily press coverage on
school district budgets statewide:
If you
are not familiar with satirist Andy Borowitz, you should be…….”Speaking at the
state capitol, Gov. Walker seemed philosophical about his legacy: “I’m not
worried how history will remember me, because if I have my way there won’t be
any history teachers.”
Coast Guard on Alert
Conor McGlindon, commander of the Royal Canadian Mounted Coast Guard
(RCMCG), said that satellite photos had revealed a “substantial flotilla” in
the making, as Wisconsinites prepared to flee their state for their neighbor to
the North.
“Word has gotten around that we have policemen, firemen, and basic school
lunches up here,” Mr. McGlindon said.
“You can’t blame these boat people for seeking a better life. But we are under orders to intercept them.”
June 29 is deadline to submit proposals for PSBA’s 2013
Legislative Platform
Your school board is invited to submit proposals for consideration for PSBA’s 2013 Legislative Platform. The association is accepting proposals now until Friday,June 29, 2012 . Guidelines for platform submissions are posted on
PSBA’s Web site. The PSBA Platform Committee will review proposals
and rationale submitted for the platform on Aug. 11. The
recommendations of the committee will be brought before the Legislative Policy
Council for a final vote on Oct. 18.
Your school board is invited to submit proposals for consideration for PSBA’s 2013 Legislative Platform. The association is accepting proposals now until Friday,
PSBA accepting nominations for the Timothy M. Allwein Advocacy
Award
Last year, PSBA created a new award to honor the memory of its long-term chief lobbyist, who died unexpectedly. The Timothy M. Allwein Advocacy Award may be presented annually to the individual school director or entire school board to recognize outstanding leadership in legislative advocacy efforts on behalf of public education and students that are consistent with the positions in PSBA's Legislative Platform. The nomination process is now open and applications will be accepted untilJune 22, 2012 .
The award will be presented during the PASA-PSBA School Leadership Conference
in October. For more information and criteria details, see the Allwein Advocacy Award page. To obtain an application
form, see the Allwein Advocacy Award Nomination Form. Completed
forms should be returned no later than June 22 to: Pennsylvania School Boards
Association, Advocacy Award Selection Committee, PO Box 2042 , Mechanicsburg ,
PA 17055-0790
Last year, PSBA created a new award to honor the memory of its long-term chief lobbyist, who died unexpectedly. The Timothy M. Allwein Advocacy Award may be presented annually to the individual school director or entire school board to recognize outstanding leadership in legislative advocacy efforts on behalf of public education and students that are consistent with the positions in PSBA's Legislative Platform. The nomination process is now open and applications will be accepted until
Absentee ballot procedures for election of PSBA officers
PSBA website 6/1/2012
All school directors
and school board secretaries who are eligible to vote and who do not plan to
attend the association's annual business meeting during the 2012 PASA-PSBA
School Leadership Conference in Hershey, Oct. 16-19, may request an absentee
ballot for election purposes.
The absentee ballot
must be requested from the PSBA executive director in accordance with the PSBA
Bylaws provisions (see PSBA Bylaws, Article IV, Section 4, J-Q.). Specify the
name and mailing address of each individual for whom a ballot is requested.
Requests must be in
writing, e-mailed or mailed first class and postmarked or marked received at
PSBA Headquarters no later than Aug. 15. Mail to Executive Director, P.O. Box 2042 , Mechanicsburg ,
PA 17055
http://www.psba.org/news-publications/headlines/details.asp?id=1245
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